By Sabiu Abdullahi
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said he fears he could be arrested in the near future, citing recent actions taken against some of his political associates.
El-Rufai made this known during an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday. He suggested that the detention of individuals who worked closely with him may signal a move against him by the Federal Government.
“Four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested; so it’s only a matter of time before they come for me too,” he said.
Although he acknowledged that he has not been taken into custody, the former governor insisted that the arrests of his allies point to the possibility of imminent action.
El-Rufai recently left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He described the present situation as part of what he called increasing political intimidation directed at opposition figures.
According to him, the political climate has become tense for politicians who are not aligned with the ruling party. He alleged that both subtle and open pressures are being applied to force politicians either to defect to the APC or remain within it.
He added that the atmosphere has pushed many political actors into making decisions out of necessity rather than personal conviction. In his view, concerns about safety and political survival now influence alignments more than ideology.
His remarks come at a time when political defections and realignments are gathering pace ahead of future elections. While the Federal Government has not issued any official response to his claims, his comments reflect widening distrust between sections of the opposition and the ruling party.
El-Rufai’s warning that his arrest could occur “anytime” has further stirred political debate, with observers monitoring developments closely.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that the former governor also spoke about his relationship with President Bola Tinubu. He said even if he had accepted a ministerial role, he would not have remained long in the administration because of ideological differences.
“I think it’s important to make this clarification. There is an assumption that I was ever Tinubu’s friend. I was not. We never got along with Tinubu. We never had a personal relationship,” he said.
He explained that his support for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election was based on party considerations rather than personal ties.
“For me, Tinubu was initially just an aspirant of the party. I was approached by certain Islamic stakeholders from the South-West and asked to support the emergence of a South-West Muslim presidential candidate,” he stated.
Reiterating his stance, he again said: “I think it’s important to make this clarification. There is an assumption that I was ever Tinubu’s friend. I was not. We never got along with Tinubu. We never had a personal relationship,” he said.
El-Rufai noted that his backing of Tinubu rested on an internal agreement within the APC on power rotation.
He said: “As one of the founders of the APC, I knew that we had an understanding with the South, specifically the South-West, that after eight years of Buhari, power would go to the South. It was a matter of principle. It wasn’t about Tinubu.”
He stated that once Tinubu emerged as the party’s flagbearer, he committed himself fully to the campaign.
“It is a principle of mine that I fight for the candidate of my party in every election to win, whether I like the candidate or not. Tinubu emerged as the candidate, and I gave everything to ensure that he won. And that’s what I did,” El-Rufai said.
Despite that support, he said differences in governance philosophy later created a divide between them.
He said: “I am in government for delivery, for results and performance. Public service is not about making money for yourself, it’s not about stealing, it’s not about appointing your cronies or your tribesmen.”
El-Rufai further revealed that he was offered a ministerial appointment. He maintained that he would not have stayed long if the appointment had been finalised.
“Even if the offer that Tinubu made to me to be a minister had gone through, I would have left the government long ago. The philosophy of this government is contrary to everything I have been taught as a Muslim, as a northerner, and as a Nigerian,” El-Rufai declared.
